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More Than 20,000 Enroll Through DC Health Exchange

WASHINGTON — District of Columbia officials say more than 20,000 people have signed up for health coverage through the city’s insurance marketplace.

The majority of those are employees of small businesses. Only 2,600 individuals and families have enrolled in private health plans, although nearly 1,000 more have signed up for coverage starting next month. More than 4,600 people have used the health exchange to gain Medicaid coverage.

Officials with the D.C. Health Benefit Exchange Authority say there’s a good demographic mix among those who have signed up, with younger people leading the way. Thirty-seven percent of those who have enrolled in private insurance plans are between 26 and 34 years old.

Exchange director Mila Kofman says that shows the federal health overhaul has given young people access to high-quality, affordable coverage.